Taharah: The Ritual of Pouring Water

In Jewish tradition, we are all holy beings created in the image of the Divine.  This means that when we die, our body is considered a holy thing and should be treated with respect and dignity.  

Jewish tradition also considers the holy spiritual aspect of a human being, the soul, to be eternal, returning to the Divine upon death.  So when a person dies, we have a special ritual to prepare the body for burial and at the same time, midwife the soul from this world to the next.  This beautiful ritual is called taharah, from the Hebrew root having to do with purification.  The ritual includes physical washing of the body along with a powerful spiritual liturgy, and a pouring of water, all intended to assist the soul on its journey. 

The tahara ritual is concluded with dressing the deceased in a plain white shroud. The shroud is similar to what the High Priest wore in the Temple when he entered the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. He was prepared to meet the Divine face to face, just as we prepare the deceased to meet the Divine face to face.  The shroud symbolizes that we are all equal in death. The deceased is then placed in a simple, plain wooden casket to symbolize that we are all equal in death.